The present invention relates generally to wheel covers for bicycles, and more particularly to a multi-disc spinning assembly for bicycles and similar transportation means.
There has been an abundance of patents for hubcaps and spinning hubcaps for motorized vehicles. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,158,946 to Upchurch, wherein a single disc hubcap is described that spins relative to the auto wheel to which it is attached, and continues to spin after the associated auto wheel stops moving. The rotation of this single disc hubcap is directed via a spring-pressed ratchet dog mechanism.
Other patents such as, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,642 to Rutterman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,989 to Hsiao et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,370 to Fowlkes, describe rotating auto hubcaps that maintain a rotational direction, free of the motion of an attached auto wheel via, a weight mechanism. Such a weight mechanism directs the hubcap's rotation direction whether the auto, and thus auto wheel, direction is forward or reverse.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,061 to Good and U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2004/0075332 to Good describe a single disc auto wheel hubcap assembly that controls the rotational momentum of an auto hubcap connected to an auto wheel via a bearing clutch, which allows rotational movement of the auto hubcap in only a single direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,851 to Finkenbiner describes a spinner for attachment to a bicycle. The spinner of Finkenbiner is positioned inside the hub and spokes of a typical bicycle wheel using a resilient band. As the wheel hub rotates, the difference in frictional force between the resilient band and the hub should carry the spinner to turn synchronously with the hub, and not spin independently of the bicycle wheel and hub.
The commercialization and popularity of automotive hubcaps rotating independently of the attached automotive wheel has increased dramatically, primarily cultivated by the popularity of such novelties in music videos and lifestyles of popular music icons. However, the commercialization of such an item is not attainable by a certain segment of the population, namely, the segment of the population without access to or ability to drive their own automobile.
Thus, what is desired is a multi-disc spinner assembly as a hubcap for a bicycle such that one of the disks attaches to a bicycle wheel and moves in conjunction with the attached bicycle wheel. Another one or more disks of the multi-disc assembly move in the direction of the spinning wheel and continue to rotate independently after the motion of the bicycle wheel has ceased.